Kiefer Sutherland is running late. Production has overrun on today’s filming of the new series of 24, the geopolitical thriller that has made him a major star for a second time around. He apologises profusely when he finally makes it to the Mayfair private members’ club booked for our meeting. But it’s not necessary.

I understand: Sutherland might not be quite as time-poor as his race-against-the-clock alter ego Jack Bauer, but with eight seasons of the show under his belt and a ninth underway — this one set for the first time in London — he’s a busy man.

Shooting 24 looks like hard work. “Physically, 24 is a hard show to do,” he says, looking lean from the four months of gym work he’s done ahead of the new series. “I look back and see we did 192 episodes over eight seasons. I don’t know how we did it. It makes you want to go take a nap.”

The show provided a second wind for Sutherland’s career.

Now 47, he first broke through in 1986 with Stand by Me and had a run of hits as a late entrant to the Eighties Brat Pack: The Lost Boys (1987), Young Guns (1988) and Flatliners (1990). After tabloid notoriety in the early Nineties — he was engaged to be married to Julia Roberts until she ran off with his friend, Jason Patric — Sutherland’s big-screen career ran out of steam later that decade.

24, in 2001, turned that around. Since then, Jack Bauer — neocon poster boy — has seen off weapons of mass destruction, cyber attacks and members of the Russian parliament, not always in the most ethical manner. If the actor who plays him doesn’t agree with Bauer’s methods, he can appreciate his character’s intentions. “I can say I don’t believe in torture and I believe in due process and innocent until proven guilty,” Sutherland says, before presenting a steeliness worthy of his fictional character. “Having said that, if somebody had kidnapped my daughter in real life and I had someone in my hands who knew her whereabouts, then I would tear them apart until I got her back.”

Kiefer Sutherland Esquire July 2014 Photo shoot

Kiefer Sutherland Esquire July 2014 Photo shoot

Kiefer Sutherland Esquire July 2014 Photo shoot

Growing Old

Sutherland has one daughter from the first of his two marriages, both of which ended in divorce. He’s now a grandfather to two boys. He says turning 45 was pivotal: “That was the first age I ever hit where I started doing the maths — ‘in five years I will be 50. Oh my God, in 10 years I’ll be 55. In 20 years I will be 65. At 65 you get half-price tickets to fucking movies, holy shit.’” But he resolved to think positively about ageing. “It made me acknowledge how much I’ve enjoyed my life. I’ve got a really wonderful family, and some fantastic friends.”

Here are some high quality photos from the 24 Season 3 DVD launch party (and premiere of Season 4) at the Geisha House in Hollywood, California. Both old and new cast members were in attendance, including Aisha Tyler, Alberta Watson, Dennis Haysbert, Kiefer Sutherland, Lana Parrilla, Reiko Aylesowth, Shohreh Aghdashloo and William Devane.

Kiefer Sutherland tells the Nov. 17th issue of TV Guide, “It’s so great to be back in Jack Bauer’s shoes”. In the mag, the 41-year-old actor also shares personal photos and captions from the South Africa set of 24: Redemption. Here’s a snippet of the cover story: After way too many delays, 24’s long-awaited Season… View Article

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XAM

All this talk of being old at 47 is ridiculous. Liam Neeson is 14 years older and still kicking arse. Older still is my friend Clifford who is 89 and does aikido and triathlons.

Don’t blame your age Kief for slowing down, blame the cigarettes and booze. Knock it all on the head and embrace health and vitality and stick with 24 till the bitter end (or until they find a better actor) because quite frankly the prospect of a Kate Morgan spinoff worries the shit out of me!

Lins

Tiny

Shayan

I Everytime say : Mr.Kiefer Sutherland Is A Good Man And A Good Actor And My Mind Never Changed .I Love Him And He Is My Favorite Actor . I Hope He Can Come To Terms With His Age . Mr.Sutherland You Every Time In 24 Say : Calm Down And Now I Tell It To You ” Calm Down”

Catherine

He’s alway talking about his age, since he was 40 (I remerber an interview on Jay Leno) !!
I think is afraid of ageing, and particulary of people telling him he’s too old to play Jack Bauer, so he says that before !!
If it’s the alst season OK but I don’t want Jack dies, and I won’t watch a spin off with Kate…but why not a prequel ?

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